104 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



rian, as well as the editor, but in many of its details it constitutes the 

 latter 's special problem and one still far from solution. 



Great improvement, to be sure, has already been effected over the 

 earlier days. In attractiveness of appearance and attention to me- 

 chanical details the change is both notable and commendable, and 

 there has also been great gain in the direction of adapting the publi- 

 cations more closely to the needs of those whom they are intended to 

 reach. The average station bulletin now has a popular summary or 

 it may be a popular edition, and the publications of most institutions 

 are classified according to their technical or popular character. The 

 old charge of " shooting over the farmer's head " is much less justi- 

 fied than ever before, and in fact the danger in some cases is that of 

 underestimating the farmer's real stature and understanding. 



One result of the earnest desire upon all sides to make the publica- 

 tions genuinely useful has been not only to popularize the style of 

 the regular station bulletin, but also to multiply widely the channels 

 of communication, especially by means of the extension service. A 

 vast increase has thus been seen in the number of circulars of informa- 

 tion, leaflets, etc. The agricultural press has been utilized as never 

 before, and within recent j^ears the newspapers, both those circulating 

 in country districts and those for city readers, have been furnished 

 in increasing abundance with press bulletins, notices, and in many 

 States with plate matter itself, dealing with farm life in nearly 

 every phase. 



Much of this effort has been very useful, particularly in bringing 

 before the public in an intimate way the work of the colleges and 

 stations at a time when their purposes and value were too little under- 

 stood and appreciated. Ten years ago these institutions as a class 

 needed legitimate advertising, and there is still every reason why they 

 should keep in close touch with their constituents. There are, how- 

 ever, tendencies in some of the modern methods of disseminating in- 

 formation, broadcast as it were, which may well be looked upon with 

 some apprehension. Our publication work has often been too much 

 of the " touch and go " character, with no " follow up." New ideas 

 have to be pressed home persistently, and should not be left to 

 propagate themselves. 



On the other hand, it was ably pointed out by Dr. Kastle that " as 

 agricultural institutions we are literally deluging the world in 

 printer's ink, and in the matter of our publications there is a vast 

 amount of unnecessary duplication of work and frequently an un- 

 necessary exploitation of the individual rather than the cause." 

 Hence this activity calls for intelligent control and direction; and 

 unless it is in the hands of men of good judgment and the proper 

 point of view siiccessful control is very difficult. Some of these ten- 

 dencies of course, as Dr. Kastle explained, are by no means confined 



